Can You 3d Print Video Game Models?

Can You 3d Print Video Game Models? “You may have played a video game and thought, “I really like that character” or “What an awesome level design.” Well, now you can 3D print the model of your favorite character or level design with some assembly required.”

Video games are not just for entertainment anymore. They can be re-created through 3D printing and assembled as models. This blog post will explore how to do this with some tips on what materials work best for different parts of the process: modeling, printing, and assembling.

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Can you 3d print video game models?

Yes! Here is a model from Skyrim that I printed from thingiverse.com

For those who don’t know, 3D printing is a process where a machine prints out a 3-dimensional solid object layer by layer. The printer head moves around and lays down material in very thin layers until the final product comes into being. A printer can create anything as long as its designed with computer software first.

You can change the size of something after you’ve designed it but your options are limited because changing one parameter often changes another which makes it difficult to predict how the output will look once printed from certain design files. Usually, if you want an organic-looking shape, then you need to design the object with an organic shape in mind. The printer itself works much like a regular inkjet or laser printer but instead of putting down ink or toner, it puts layer after layer of material until your final product is printed out.

3D printing can be useful for people who would rather buy prints of sculptures and other projects rather than spend hundreds on buying a piece from an artist. You could also print out replacement parts for appliances or devices that you’ve lost or broken without having to buy a new one. Some hobbyists build their own printers while others may go to a 3d printing shop where they can bring in a design file and have it printed right there on the spot.

3D printing is pretty neat but if you’re looking to build complex machines or anything that requires moving parts, then this process is not for you because of the limitations on what can be printed.

It’s good for low-poly designs but if you are designing characters from Skyrim, LoL, etc…then it may be difficult to print unless the object was originally designed with a low polygon count in mind.

Can You 3d Print Video Game Models?

How to turn a 3D model into a 3D print?

The tools and the process may vary from one 3D printing service to another. In this article, we will focus on Shapeways which is a “3D printing marketplace”.

We will use a very simple human head model, download it from the web and print it in plastic material. We will not detail how to design a 3D model, there are too many resources already available about that topic.

If you do not have any idea for a cool-looking object yet, feel free to browse our gallery of existing 3D models.

This is pretty impressive! Here’s an example of 3D printed objects:

1) Getting the object

The first step is to find a 3D model on the web and download it. There are plenty of sources: sites like Thingiverse (which hosts thousands of free and open-source objects), TurboSquid, yeggi … The quality varies from one site to another, pay attention when you download something because if too many things are wrong with your object, Shapeways won’t accept it. For example, your object must be manifold, have no holes, or have very small holes.

It must have a good topology so that it can be printed without problems. Sometimes you’ll need to repair broken parts in your 3D software before uploading the file. Try some search engines but don’t hesitate to ask for help on our forums even if it’s a beginner-level question.

You can download the STL file from the website or click here to visit that page directly if you don’t have Flash player installed on your computer or if it does not work for some reason (for instance trying from an iPad).

The previous link is shared under a Creative Commons license which means you can use and modify it freely as long as you give proper credit to its author. Credits are always required by Shapeways but they’ll be happy to know where your object came from!

You can also contact the author of the original design directly if you want to buy a full version or if you want to modify the design.

Can You 3d Print Video Game Models? (cre: 3ders)

2) Importing in Shapeways

Once your 3D object is ready, it’s time to upload your file on the Shapeways website. Open http://www.shapeways.com/ and create an account (if you don’t already have one). You’ll be asked what kind of object(s) you want to print, pick ” modeling clay “.

Don’t forget to type your e-mail address correctly because Shapeways will use this address to inform you about the status of your order (when it ships for example). Finally, check that your shipping address is up-to-date via Edit Profile > Address.

It’s important that it’s accurate! Now go to your 3D view with the “Modeling Clay” material activated ( top right of the page, click on the desired quality ).

You can see how it looks like in real life with a grid showing its size (a preview is also available when you’re in Edit mode).

This modeling clay material is composed of tiny spheres which give it this particular texture.

This type of material is very strong and durable but sometimes not entirely dense which means that small holes may appear after printing. These are called “voids”. To avoid voids, pay attention to the following:

– The model must be manifold, no holes should be found or if they do exist then they must be really tiny. The program used to create STL files for Shapeways is called Netfabb and allows to detect and fix voids. We advise you to use this tool before uploading your model.
– Do not use transparency in the material settings of your 3D software (unless it’s a very thin object). Transparency can cause “z-fighting” which means that some pixels don’t get printed because the printer needs to wait for other parts of the object to be printed so they can cover them correctly. It causes ugly lines and holes at these intersections.
– The object must be watertight! If water gets into small holes, it will stay there and prevent voids from closing while printing (for obvious reasons). To check if your file is water-tight, simply fill it with water. If some stays inside, you have to go back to your 3D software and fix the problem. A little trick is that some printers print more slowly on these areas, allowing the material to expand a little bit before reaching voids.
– Be prudent with thin walls, they are very fragile during printing and are likely to break if too close together. Use at least 0.7 mm wall thickness except if it’s too difficult to create this type of object or if you want it small (in the case of figurines for example). The minimum wall thickness supported by Shapeways is 0.5 mm but it’s not recommended unless your design can’t be made otherwise!

Can You 3d Print Video Game Models? (cre: instructables)

How to extract 3D models from mobile games?

A 3D model is a mathematical representation of a three-dimensional object. To get a 3D model from a Mobile Game, you have to go through the following steps:

1) Setup your environment
2) Scrape scenes from the game
3) Extract scenes into OBJ files and convert them to FBX file format for 3D modeling software
4) Clean up models and apply optimizations by using Autodesk Maya or any other 3d modeling application of your choice. There are also other alternatives like Blender that can be used to do this type of conversion, but I prefer using Autodesk Maya, so it will be explained in detail throughout this article.
5) Export optimized FBX files from Maya to UE4
6) Prepare materials for UE4, import optimized FBX files and apply materials.

Conclusion

3D printers can be used to create a variety of things from art installations to medical implants. In the gaming world, they are most often used for creating custom pieces that cannot otherwise be found in stores or made by hand.

If you’re an avid video game player and want a unique piece of memorabilia for your collection, check out what is possible with today’s technology!

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